Mr. Nathan Lewin

Nathan (Nat) Lewin is a renowned lawyer and leader of the American Jewish community. Between 1982 and 1984 he served as President of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington and for more than 30 years he served as the national vice president of the National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs (COLPA). Lewin was president of the American Section of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists from 1992 to 1997. He is currently Honorary President of its successor, the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists.

Notable cases Mr. Lewin has been involved in include former President Richard Nixon in the Supreme Court case testing the constitutionality of the taking of Presidential papers and tapes; actress Jodie Foster in the prosecution of John Hinckley; performer John Lennon in the successful appeal of his immigration case; an Air Force psychologist in the Supreme Court case testing his constitutional right to wear a yarmulke while on duty; a lawsuit against Yale University on behalf of Orthodox freshmen and sophomores who could not reside in co-educational dormitories on religious grounds; lawsuits on behalf of Sabbath-observers who were discriminated against in private employment, on behalf of military chaplains who were denied the right to wear religiously-motivated beards, and on behalf of Jewish prisoners who were denied kosher food.

Anti Semitism, BDS & Congress (41:10)

Even before the Supreme Court s decision granting same-sex couples a constitutional right to wed, legal scholars have been trying to determine how such a ruling might affect religious institutions. The First Amendment to the U.S

Defining Liberty: Panel on Recent SCOTUS Decisions 2015 (1:15:45)

Behind the Scenes of the Zivotofsky Case (59:51)

Hear firsthand from the father-daughter legal team that represented Menachem Zivotofsky, an American citizen born in Jerusalem, caught in the middle of a constitutional, separation-of-powers dispute. Alyza and Nathan Lewin fought for 12 years to enforce a congressional law that declares Jerusalem part of Israel taking it all the way to the US Supreme Court

Debate Highlights (20:18)

How far should governments go in their quest to free innocent hostages? In this session, experts debate this question in the context of the Israeli decision to free terror convicts to gain the freedom of Gilad Shalit. Would you support the motion that the Shalit deal was the right move?.

Hot Button Issue in U.S. Courts 2014 (54:55)

Protecting our country from suicidal religious fanatics who target civilians as they go about their daily life is a daunting task. Add to it the restrictions placed by respecting civil liberties and presuming innocence, and we seem particularly vulnerable to another September 11. Our esteemed panel will discuss this conflict from the American Law, Jewish Law and ethical perspectives. .

For God and Country (48:55)

When President George W. Bush nominated Michael B. Mukasey to be the 81st Attorney General of the United States, it was not a responsibility that the Orthodox Mukasey took lightly. How was Mukasey, as attorney general and as a federal judge before that, shaped by his deeply held Jewish beliefs and ideas?.

To Be a Jewish Defender (41:21)

Alyza Lewin and her father, Nathan Lewin are both attorneys who have worked together on numerous cases defending Jewish rights.
This fascinating interview explores how their knowledge of Jewish law and tradition as well as their idealistic drive to help Jews in need moved them to get involved and succeed in defending the rights of Jews

Town of Greece v. Galloway (49:25)

A 2014 U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting chaplains to open legislative sessions with a prayer set the legal world on fire. Was it a victory for religious freedom or a blow to the Establishment Clause? The law aside, what ethics underlie this gripping debate? Two of America’s leading constitutional scholars make their case.

Personal Encounters: An Interview with Nat Lewin (58:46)

After graduating magna cum laude from Harvard University, attorney Nathan Lewin went on to fight some of America’s most famous cases in twenty-seven appearances before the U.S. Supreme Court. In a fascinating interview with Altie Karper, editorial director of Schocken Books, Nathan Lewin reflects on his battles to uphold the First Amendment and civil liberties.

Jewish Peoplehood Award: Mr. Nathan Lewin (9:07)

Throughout his legal career Mr. Nathan Lewin has been an advocate for the Jewish people, arguing in innumerable cases about religious freedom, some before the supreme court.
At the JLI National Jewish Retreat, August 2013 he was presented with the Jewish Peoplehood Award.

From Sinai to the Supreme Court (56:29)

From yarmulkas in the military to public menorah displays, civil liberties attorney Nathan Lewin has argued some of America’s most famous First Amendment cases. In this session he revisits his past victories to examine their impact on the Jewish community and the state of religious freedom in America today. .

Landmark Cases in American Courts: Battle for the Books (9:34)

Step inside the Rebbe’s private room as we join Mr. Nathan Lewin, as he reflects on his personal encounters with the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Learn the inside story of the famous “Chabad Library Case,” from the Rebbe’s legal counsel.

Being Jewish at Harvard in the 50's (38:33)

Nat Lewin is one of the top lawyers in the country. He has done extensive work in his field, and in particular will share with us some of his background dealing with 1st amendment issues. He will also paint us a picture of his time at Harvard Law in the 1950’s, and describe the highlights and lowlights of his experiences being Jewish on campus